I think I've conquered my Type 2 diabetes.... :)
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Bettyeditor
Posts: 327 Member
Hi everyone,
I just have to share a cool victory for me. Tonight I ate a huge dinner. When I put it in my food diary, I was shocked by how many carbs/calories. I usually have a dinner between 300-400 calories. This was 800. And I usually keep my dinner carbs below 60 grams net carbs. This was 94 grams, 82 net carbs.
So I took my bg one hour after I ate, just out of curiosity. To see if my body really *IS* behaving as normal now, not as diabetic. My number? 114
When I was diagnosed with diabetes on Aug. 30, 2012 my bg was 500. They tested twice to be sure. When I was first on medication, I changed my diet radically but we still couldn't get my bg lower than the 300s so my doctor had to up my medication. However, since that day in August until now, I have worked with a nutritionist and I have consistently followed these eating guidelines:
* I eat 5-6 times a day, every 2-3 hours
* I eat between 30-45 net carbs for breakfast and between 45-60 net carbs for lunch/dinner
* I eat roughly 15 net carbs for snacks
I have also lost 65 pounds to date (today is Sun. Feb. 17) since that day in Aug. 2013.
My first A1C on 8/31/12 was 9.6, next was 6.8 (10/23/12) next was normal at 5.4 (12/17/12). My bg has been in normal ranges for months now. I only check my fasting bg now, and it's consistently around 79-80.
I noticed a change in early January. Instead of my bg being in normal range *because* of things I did, it now stays in normal range *in spite* of anything I do. Even when I'm under stress and get no sleep and eat a huge meal with a huge carb spike or even when I take medication that everyone warns me will mess up my bg..... it is STILL NORMAL. All the time.
I think that my body is gaining back its insulin sensitivity. I think my body is starting to work again like it is supposed to.
I have another follow-up with my doctor in a couple weeks. I can't wait to see my lab results. I'm hoping she will tell me I can stop taking even my small dose of metFormin. I don't feel I need it. I feel like my body is regulating itself again now.
I don't intend to stop losing weight and I don't intend to stop eating every 2-3 hours. I really feel as though my snacking habit is the key to my weight loss and the key to my bg and my body getting back into balance.
But it feels really good that once in a while, when I have a day like today when I slept in an only could fit in two meals and so I had to make them big meals to get all my calories in.... my body can handle a spike in carbs.
So I feel like I have conquered my Type 2 diabetes. I'm sure I could get it again if I abused my body again. But I don't intend to. How it eat now is healthy and sustainable and I foresee no reason to change my habits. But it feels good knowing that my habits allow me to vary a little from time to time and still be okay.
I'm so happy tonight I just had to share.
I just have to share a cool victory for me. Tonight I ate a huge dinner. When I put it in my food diary, I was shocked by how many carbs/calories. I usually have a dinner between 300-400 calories. This was 800. And I usually keep my dinner carbs below 60 grams net carbs. This was 94 grams, 82 net carbs.
So I took my bg one hour after I ate, just out of curiosity. To see if my body really *IS* behaving as normal now, not as diabetic. My number? 114
When I was diagnosed with diabetes on Aug. 30, 2012 my bg was 500. They tested twice to be sure. When I was first on medication, I changed my diet radically but we still couldn't get my bg lower than the 300s so my doctor had to up my medication. However, since that day in August until now, I have worked with a nutritionist and I have consistently followed these eating guidelines:
* I eat 5-6 times a day, every 2-3 hours
* I eat between 30-45 net carbs for breakfast and between 45-60 net carbs for lunch/dinner
* I eat roughly 15 net carbs for snacks
I have also lost 65 pounds to date (today is Sun. Feb. 17) since that day in Aug. 2013.
My first A1C on 8/31/12 was 9.6, next was 6.8 (10/23/12) next was normal at 5.4 (12/17/12). My bg has been in normal ranges for months now. I only check my fasting bg now, and it's consistently around 79-80.
I noticed a change in early January. Instead of my bg being in normal range *because* of things I did, it now stays in normal range *in spite* of anything I do. Even when I'm under stress and get no sleep and eat a huge meal with a huge carb spike or even when I take medication that everyone warns me will mess up my bg..... it is STILL NORMAL. All the time.
I think that my body is gaining back its insulin sensitivity. I think my body is starting to work again like it is supposed to.
I have another follow-up with my doctor in a couple weeks. I can't wait to see my lab results. I'm hoping she will tell me I can stop taking even my small dose of metFormin. I don't feel I need it. I feel like my body is regulating itself again now.
I don't intend to stop losing weight and I don't intend to stop eating every 2-3 hours. I really feel as though my snacking habit is the key to my weight loss and the key to my bg and my body getting back into balance.
But it feels really good that once in a while, when I have a day like today when I slept in an only could fit in two meals and so I had to make them big meals to get all my calories in.... my body can handle a spike in carbs.
So I feel like I have conquered my Type 2 diabetes. I'm sure I could get it again if I abused my body again. But I don't intend to. How it eat now is healthy and sustainable and I foresee no reason to change my habits. But it feels good knowing that my habits allow me to vary a little from time to time and still be okay.I'm so happy tonight I just had to share.
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Replies
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What an amazing accomplishment Betty, . .What you've achieved for yourself in such a short time is amazing!
Huge applause from me to you. Way to go, bringing your fasting numbers down, your weight loss success and
finding out what works for you and your body.
Thanks so much for sharing your story.
Congrats!
Bob0 -
That is really cool!! It also answers a lot of the questions I had about people who gain a lot of control when losing weight and what their #s look like... This is very inspiring for me - thanks for sharing!!0
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So glad that you are getting your numbers in control, and taking control of your life. Being a diabetic, and doing the day in day out things you have to do in order to make those numbers look good is not easy. I know. Congrats on having good positive results.
One thing I will make a note of that I have learned...when you have a large meal, or new food, check your two and your three hour levels. One hour can be misleading if the food has more than 20g of fat, or 10g of fiber. Fiber is slower to digest, and you may see the rise at two or three hours. Fat also slows the rise, and you can see the rise up to 8 hours later.
When I have a new food, I note if the one hour is higher than the two, then the food rose, and is coming down. If however the two is higher, then the food is still being processed...and, finally, if the three hour is highest, then the food either had a lot of fiber or fat. (I also find that any food with High Fructose Corn Syrup in it makes me rise at the third hour...and, keeps going up for HOURS! Nasty stuff...I make sure I don't have it at all!)
Again, you have done WONDERFUL work on your meal plan, and your labs and scale are proof that what you are doing is working! Keep up the good work!! You should be very proud of yourself.0 -
Betty... Cogratulations, on your success. You should celebrate and we all thank you for sharing one very important day.
I agree with vpenning with regard to changes between one hour and two based on volume, fat and protein. So just a suggestion , next time check out her plan and see what you find.
Again, great progress and this is what is so great about this group and MFP, sharing this kind of info. I think it is so powerful it can change lives.
Now Cheers
WCUCATS770 -
That is awesome Betty, I am trying to do the same thing. When I am consistant, keep it up! Many have told me weight loss is the key for me and I am working on it. Congratulations!!0
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That is awesome! I'm so happy for you.
I just hope that I can do the same.
-Dave0 -
So glad that you are getting your numbers in control, and taking control of your life. Being a diabetic, and doing the day in day out things you have to do in order to make those numbers look good is not easy. I know. Congrats on having good positive results.
One thing I will make a note of that I have learned...when you have a large meal, or new food, check your two and your three hour levels. One hour can be misleading if the food has more than 20g of fat, or 10g of fiber. Fiber is slower to digest, and you may see the rise at two or three hours. Fat also slows the rise, and you can see the rise up to 8 hours later.
When I have a new food, I note if the one hour is higher than the two, then the food rose, and is coming down. If however the two is higher, then the food is still being processed...and, finally, if the three hour is highest, then the food either had a lot of fiber or fat. (I also find that any food with High Fructose Corn Syrup in it makes me rise at the third hour...and, keeps going up for HOURS! Nasty stuff...I make sure I don't have it at all!)
Again, you have done WONDERFUL work on your meal plan, and your labs and scale are proof that what you are doing is working! Keep up the good work!! You should be very proud of yourself.
vpenning, thank you for that advice.I'm curious now to try that sometime (although I don't have a big calorie/carb meal very often!) I had intended to measure again that night, but couldn't stay up, had to get to bed. Even if it still went up another hour later though, I think it still would have been below 140 and therefore in normal range. A healthy non-diabetic person can fluctuate a lot after a meal I believe, as much as 180 I think if I remember correctly.
So I'm assuming that its basically normal for my food to affect my bg as it digests over a couple hours, but if I'm healthy it should only take a small amount of insulin and only a couple hours for my body to bring my bg back down again. This is the exciting thing for me: my body regaining the ability to regulate my bg and bring it back in balance.
I have been well within the normal range of bg for so many months that my doctor doesn't have me check my bg anymore, so I don't really check new foods. I only check my fasting bg in the morning now. So checking after a meal was a rare thing for me to do these day.
But when I was working hard to get my bg under control I would check as often as 6 times a day sometimes to learn how foods affected my bg. I got to where i could predict with in 5 g accuracy what my bg would be even before I took it. But then in January my body changed and now I can't predict very well again because my body is not so sensitive anymore... my bg stays in normal range no matter what I do or what I eat. 0 -
Betty... WTG.. very nice. I think we all hope/wish we can get ours under controll like you did. Just keep an eye on it off and on. Diabetes can rare it's ugly head anytime.0
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So glad that you are getting your numbers in control, and taking control of your life. Being a diabetic, and doing the day in day out things you have to do in order to make those numbers look good is not easy. I know. Congrats on having good positive results.
One thing I will make a note of that I have learned...when you have a large meal, or new food, check your two and your three hour levels. One hour can be misleading if the food has more than 20g of fat, or 10g of fiber. Fiber is slower to digest, and you may see the rise at two or three hours. Fat also slows the rise, and you can see the rise up to 8 hours later.
When I have a new food, I note if the one hour is higher than the two, then the food rose, and is coming down. If however the two is higher, then the food is still being processed...and, finally, if the three hour is highest, then the food either had a lot of fiber or fat. (I also find that any food with High Fructose Corn Syrup in it makes me rise at the third hour...and, keeps going up for HOURS! Nasty stuff...I make sure I don't have it at all!)
Again, you have done WONDERFUL work on your meal plan, and your labs and scale are proof that what you are doing is working! Keep up the good work!! You should be very proud of yourself.
vpenning, thank you for that advice.I'm curious now to try that sometime (although I don't have a big calorie/carb meal very often!) I had intended to measure again that night, but couldn't stay up, had to get to bed. Even if it still went up another hour later though, I think it still would have been below 140 and therefore in normal range. A healthy non-diabetic person can fluctuate a lot after a meal I believe, as much as 180 I think if I remember correctly.
So I'm assuming that its basically normal for my food to affect my bg as it digests over a couple hours, but if I'm healthy it should only take a small amount of insulin and only a couple hours for my body to bring my bg back down again. This is the exciting thing for me: my body regaining the ability to regulate my bg and bring it back in balance.
I have been well within the normal range of bg for so many months that my doctor doesn't have me check my bg anymore, so I don't really check new foods. I only check my fasting bg in the morning now. So checking after a meal was a rare thing for me to do these day.
But when I was working hard to get my bg under control I would check as often as 6 times a day sometimes to learn how foods affected my bg. I got to where i could predict with in 5 g accuracy what my bg would be even before I took it. But then in January my body changed and now I can't predict very well again because my body is not so sensitive anymore... my bg stays in normal range no matter what I do or what I eat.
Just remember that just like every other part of our body, cells die as we get older...and, so do beta cells. Remember to check periodically to see if you still are having the same results.
Yes, normal folks can go up as high as 160, but they do not STAY up...they reach that point BRIEFLY...so, at the two hour mark, it is unlikely that a normal non-diabetic would have numbers over 140 on a regular basis. The College of Endocrinology recommends that diabetics keep their numbers under 140 at the two hour point. The reason for the TWO hour point, and NOT the one hour...is that different foods have different digesting times, and different impacts on the glucose. One hour will NOT give you an accurate reading for many foods. (test show that the average rise is actually at one hour 14 minutes). Foods like orange juice, for instance, rise you in the first 15 minutes...which is why it is recommended for lows. Things like beans take longer to digest, and can actually have its high point at one hour and a half.
MOST of your food, however, should have been digested by the two hour mark...and, the AVERAGE rise between before first bite, and that two hour mark for NORMAL folks is 40 points. So, if you had 90 before first bite, and 180 at two hour...then, that would NOT be a normal reading. That would mean your body is NOT processing it well. Same if you wer 70 and you had a 160. Even though, yes, normal folks can rise up that high....they would NOT be there at the two hour mark when starting that low...not without some issues. (Again, Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems on normal folks show the rise higher than 140 to be BRIEF....like a few minutes.....)
Even though your doctor may not worry about your testing...he is wanting the testing information for different reasons that YOU might want them for. His is for medication, and treatment. YOURS is for seeing how food and exercise is effecting you DAILY.
One thing I have learned after years with this disease is you can never become complacent. It WILL change...and, even those who have perfect numbers can have complications...though, you cut down the risks.
Be sure to keep monitoring your numbers as you age, and keep an eye on how you do process. I once was able to have a certain cereal, but 5 years later...my body goes over 180 with it.
I wish you continued success, and best of health always! May your joy of this time continue. I hope you NEVER change.0 -
Betty, congrats! And thank you thank you thank you for sharing this. I am 26 years old and more than 100 pounds overweight, so I was already in the process of trying to lose weight and get healthy when I got a tentative type 2 diabetes diagnosis yesterday. (Non-fasting blood sugar was normal but A1C was 7.1 - have to go back in three months to get a second A1C to confirm.) I can't say I am surprised since I have been obese for several years and diabetes runs in my family, but nevertheless, I am still in a state of shock, guilt, and fear.
Your story gives me hope that possibly, with hard work and dedication, I can reverse some of the damage I have done to my body and get some of my insulin sensitivity back. Congrats once again!0
